It’s the players who keep entertaining their fans and the lovers of the game with their extraordinary performances. That told, here are some exceptional cricketers that rising through the ranks and will be crucial for their respective teams in near future:

Dewald Brevis (South Africa)

Dewald Brevis, a South African, doesn’t need an introduction. 2022 was a truly exceptional year for the young Brevis. In a domestic T20 match, he scored 162 runs off just 57 deliveries. Dewald also smashed 70 runs off 41 deliveries in the ongoing SA20 League while playing for MI Cape Town against David Miller-led Paarl Royals.

Hardly anyone who watches the game is unaware of his name or hasn’t witnessed him smashing long balls. The young player, who scored the most runs at the Under-19 World Cup was picked up by the Mumbai Indians in the mega-auction of IPL 2022. He will soon Don the South African colours for the greatest stage.

Todd Murphy (Australia)

A 22-year-old Aussie earned his maiden Test call-up for the upcoming India tour. The Victorian right-arm off-break spinner is in the mix for the Indian pitches, where spin tends to dominate. Murphy is so young in his career that he has played only seven first-class games but has picked up 29 wickets. No wonder why he has been added to the squad.

With Nathan Lyon being 35 years old, Australian management were keen to find an off-spinner for the longer run. If Todd continues to bowl the way he has in the last year, then he will be the one to wear the baggy green for a long while.

Umran Malik (India)

The ‘Jammu Express,’ Umran Malik, has been in the mix to play the white ball formats for over a couple of months now. He has not only impressed everyone with his brutal pace but also with improved line and length. From going for runs due to his speed and poor lengths initially, he has been a lot better now and that too with the same speed.

In the first ODI against Sri Lanka, Umran broke his own record of 155 kmph by clicking 156 kmph. Also, he has featured in six games each in white-ball formats and have picked up a total of 19 wickets. The speedster is definitely the one to have in future if he can keep his speed intact and continue to bowl in the right areas, and is surely amongst the cricketers that has the world’s eyes on him.

Sarfaraz Ahmed (Pakistan)

The man who captained Pakistan in the 2019 World Cup was lost for some time, but now he has made a comeback in the form of three half-centuries and a century.

Sarfaraz Ahmed replaced the out-of-form Rizwan in the Tests against England and New Zealand making the most of the opportunity. He has not only scored runs but also saved a Test series against the Kiwis. If he continues to perform the way he is delivering with the bat, no one can drop him, or he might even make a comeback in the 50-over format too.

Harry Brook (England)

From England’s point of view, the Pakistan series was all about Harry Brook. Among the most sought after cricketers, Brook totally dominated the men in green on their home soil, scoring 468 runs in just three Tests, including three centuries. Brook ended the last year on a high with these many runs and a whopping amount in the auctions for IPL 2023.

He was a replacement for the injured Jonny Bairstow, but now it seems like England might need to drop someone once Jonny gets back due to Brook’s heroics.

Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)

There are inspiring cricketers. There are courageous cricketers and there’s a certain Sikandar Raza, who’s a near perfect melange of the two.

Raza is not behind any of these mentioned players. He has been in exceptional form, whether it was the ODI series against India or the T20 World Cup 2022. Raza’s three-wicket haul against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup helped Zimbabwe create history by winning the game.

Also, he has been picked up by the Punjab Kings in the auctions for the IPL 2023 season. The hard work and dedication of Raza brought him here to the IPL.

Prithvi Shaw (India)

Here’s another Indian who is creating havoc in India at the domestic level. Prithvi Shaw was just 19 when he made his Test debut for India. Was it too early for him? Maybe, but after getting dropped, he has been dominating domestic cricket.

Recently, He has smashed 379 off 383 deliveries against Assam in an ongoing Ranji Trophy match. Shaw might have to wait a bit for a place in the Indian team, as Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan are already in line as openers. But he has done his bit and slammed the doors of the selectors, so his comeback might not be so far away.

Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka)

Dasun Shanaka, the captain of the Sri Lankan team, is one of the most underrated cricketers in the world right now. He seems to be the best leader; the Sri Lankan team have had in the past few years. Sri Lanka might not have dreamt of winning the Asia Cup, but this man, with his all-round performance and exceptional leading skills made it happen for the Lankans.

Shanaka has displayed exceptional batting skills, and that too against top teams like India and Australia. Smashing a century against India in India while batting down the order shows his capabilities of leading from the front and setting examples for his mates.

Joshua Little (Ireland)

The associate teams have been producing exceptional talents lately. And here’s one from the grounds of Ireland, Joshua Little. You will be surprised to hear that Joshua is just 23 years old, and he made his international debut seven years back. Since then, he has been delivering for the Irish team as a left-arm seamer.

Joshua has 62 T20I wickets in 53 games and has always troubled the greatest batters in the world. Gujarat Titans have given him a great push by buying him for a whopping sum of 4.4 crores for the IPL 2023 season.